Infected
by SirStonewall
Summary: A Grimm!OC story. Turns out Proffesor Lionheart isn't as considerate as everyone thought, and sends multiple teams of huntsmen after a student of his after she's infected. Rated M just to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**Progress on this story has been fun, but I do really enjoy writing it.**

 **I'm anxious to hear what y'all think! Let me know by leaving a review!**

* * *

Boots pound on the forest floor, snapping twigs and tearing up dirt as their owner sprints through the tropical underbrush and trees, throwing fearful glances over her shoulder.  
"Fuck off you little bastard!" She yells over her shoulder at a small white snake chasing her, despite her quick pace it manages to keep up with her.

She'd been running from this deadly little beast for the past two hours, and as she'd been told by her teacher, it never gave up, never slowed.  
 _Never_ let its prey go.

This deceptively lethal Grimm packed a nasty surprise in its fangs; venom that destroyed who you were mentally, and made you a slave to the Grimm for the rest of your life. That's what she was running from, not just a Grimm, but enslavement, and death by huntsmen.

"Why didn't I bring Reaper with me?!" She yells to no one in particular as she bursts out of the trees and runs towards the sheer white cliffs before her. Without a weapon she had absolutely no way of escaping her demise, unless she managed to get back to Haven academy, where the rest of her team is happily sleeping in their beds. She jumps up onto the chalky stone and begins her ascent, already out of its reach, but knowing the beast is already working towards finding a way up.

She scales the two hundred foot cliffs in record time, and quickly takes off again, the top of the academy in sight through the tops of the trees. When reaches the tree line a piercing feeling on her leg causes her to fall. She gets up and starts running again, determined to not become one of the Grimm. But she trips again when the piercing feeling turns into a burning, a burning that climbs its way up her leg and into her stomach. She looks down and her worst fears are confirmed; latched onto her calf, is the same small snake, its red highlights glowing as it works its fangs deeper.

With a pained howl she grabs the snake and painfully rips it away from her leg before throwing it back towards the cliff and desperately crawling towards the academy.  
She gets within sight of the front doors, and the burning pain gets progressively more intense until it feels like she's being branded all over her body, by now it's worked its way up to her head, and she gives a shriek as she collapses on the ground, her body twitching as it tries to escape the pain.  
"H-h-help...somebody..."  
But there is no relief, it only gets worse until finally she passes out from shock. She lays only a hundred yards from the school inside some bushes, where her tall, slender, yet toned body twitches throughout the night.

* * *

The girl strains against her restraints, trying unsuccessfully to break the thick leather straps.  
The commotion of her thrashing wakes up a brown-haired cheetah Faunus in the corner, who quickly walks over to the side of the bed.

"Hey, how do you feel?"

The brunette in the bed just stares at her with a pair of glowing blood red eyes. "Where am I?!"

"You're in the Haven infirmary. Do you remember anything from last night?"

"I...no, I can't say I do, should I?"

The Faunus pulls up a chair and sits in it. "No, it's alright. I didn't expect you to."

"Could you maybe take these restraints off?"

She shakes her head, her small cheetah ears lay down in her hair. "Nope, sorry, it's for our protection just as much as it is yours."

The brunette pouts a little, but looks up at her again. "I'm really sorry...do I know you?"

"My name is Tamriel, I was your partner and team leader. Your name is Dawn Frost."

Dawn looks up at the ceiling. "Oh...I'm really sorry...I just can't seem to remember much. It's sort of frustrating."

"Well, what do you remember?"

Dawn thinks for a little bit. "I remember I use a scythe...but...that's about it."

Tamriel hums in acknowledgment, tapping her foot on the floor. "Alright, well, that's sort of to be expected considering you got bitten by a Taijitu Slaver. Do you hear any voices in your head? Telling you to do stuff?"

Dawn knits her brow while she thinks. "Hmmmmmm...no, I honestly don't."

"Well that's good. I've got to go talk to our headmaster really quick, I'll be back in about half an hour."

"Oh...Okay."

Tamriel Quickly gets up and exits the room, leaving Dawn even more confused than when she woke up.

* * *

A knock at the door startles Dawn from her thoughts as the door is slid open and a lion Faunus walks in.  
"Well hello miss Frost. You likely don't remember me, but I know you. I am headmaster Lionheart."

Dawn stares at him, desperately trying to figure out if she knows him.  
"H-hello headmaster...my apologies, I don't remember any names or faces, or much else to be honest."

"That is quite alright, you aren't expected to, however you will be re-introduced to people around Haven, and you may continue your work towards being a huntress if you so desire." He pauses and looks her over. "Tell me, do you have any significant urges right now? For instance...any voices telling you to hurt me?"

"Err...no sir...not that I can feel."

He sighs in relief. "Well that is good, however to ensure the safety of all in Haven there is one thing we must do before your restraints are removed."

Dawn gets a nervous look. "A-and w-what would t-that be sir?"

"There will be a minuscule amount of Dust injected into your bloodstream to kill any lingering venom, you will experience some minor discomfort, but when it is done you should be right as rain."

Something in the back of Dawn's mind tells her there's something he's not telling her, but she can't figure out what, so she goes along. "Okay. Well let's get it over with."

Lionheart nods and heads out into the hall briefly before returning with a doctor and a nurse, the nurse appears to be carrying a syringe containing a fine white powder.  
"Alright, we will administer the...antidote...and you should be okay in a few hours!" The doctor says cheerfully, taking the syringe from the nurse.

"O-okay..." Dawn looks uneasy, but holds still while the doctor injects the powder into her arm via a vein in the fold of her elbow.

Dawn feels nothing at first, but after Lionheart, the nurse, and the doctor leave a burning sensation starts to build. It spreads up her arm, into her chest, and then spreads like wildfire throughout the rest of her body, a feeling like sticking your hand too close to the fire soon envelops her, and she strains against the restraints as she writhes in pain.

Five minutes later Tamriel comes in, and finds Dawn shaking, tears streaming down her face.  
"Tamriel...it hurts...please...make it stop!" She pleads, her voice a mere whimper.

Tamriel sits down next to her and grabs one of her hands. "What's wrong? What hurts?" Her voice is filled with concern as she squeezes Dawn's hand.

"T-the injection...it hurts...I feel like I'm being burned!"

"Injection? What injection? You weren't supposed to..." Tamriel's gray eyes go wide as it dawns on her. "No...no it can't be..." she jumps up. "I'll be right back!" With that, Tamriel sprints out, leaving Dawn to endure the pain by herself.

' _No, no this can't be happening_.'

Tamriel sprints down the hall, looking for a doctor, and she quickly finds one, seated in a chair with his head in his hands.  
"Aren't you Dawn's Doctor?"

He nods and looks up at her, his eyes filled with tears.

"What is the injection that she was given."

"I'm sorry...it was the headmaster's order...it was white Dust...she's not going to live."

The news hits Tamriel like a freight train, the headmaster ordered for her partner, no, her friend, to be _euthanized?!_

"Thank you for the information." Tamriel grumbles out as she wheels around and runs back to Dawn's hospital room.

Tamriel walks in to find Dawn having muscle spasms as the Dust kills her nerves, and she quickly sits down next to her before grabbing a hand and squeezing it.

"Thank you for coming back..." Dawn whispers as she squeezes the hand in return, her red eyes streaming tears as Tamriel puts her head in Dawn's lap.

"I'll always be here for you...until the end."

"Thank you..." Dawn has another series of spasms, but when it passes she looks at Tamriel with a smile on her face. "Did I ever tell you how pretty you are?"

"No you didn't...but thank you."

Dawn nods and slowly closes her eyes, the heart rate monitor starts beeping progressively slower until finally it flat-lines, leaving Tamriel to quietly sob while holding her best friends hand. A nurse comes in and disconnects the monitor before giving Tamriel time to mourn her partners' death.

She texts her team telling them to come quickly, and mere minutes later they sprint in, the smiles on their faces quickly fading when they see Tamriel's broken expression, and the tears on her face.

"Tell me they didn't." A red-haired girl asks as she walks over and feels for a pulse.

"Don't bother Olivia...she's gone..." Tamriel sobs, a fresh wave of tears streaming down her face.

The brunette guy walks over and drops to his knees at the bedside. "No...Dawn you didn't deserve this...you deserved to die on your feet like the warrior you were...not strapped to some fucking hospital bed." He sobs, his tears soaking the bedsheets.

"Ahmed, go tell everyone. She knew other people too, and they'll want to say goodbye." Olivia chokes back a sob and Ahmed leaves in a hurry.

* * *

Soon the entire hallway is lined with people, both teachers and students alike, all waiting to say goodbye to a school idol, the first girl in Haven to use a scythe since the first class after the academy was made.

It's not until hours later towards the end of the line that Tamriel notices Dawn's finger twitch, then another, and much to her surprise the girl's eyes open, still a pure blood red.

"Oum damn, why does my head hurt so much? And what's with the crowd?"

Her voice startles everyone, and they just stare at her in awe

"What? Is there something on my face?"

Olivia faints and slumps to the floor, causing Dawn to scowl at everyone in the room. "Well? Come on Tam, help her into a damn chair."

Tamriel flinches at the nickname, Dawn called her that a ton before she got bitten, so does this mean...?  
"Dawn, you remember who all of us are?"

"Of course, Tamriel, Ahmed, I see Neopolitan over there in the doorway, Olivia just fainted, behind her is Professor Smith. Now would someone please tell me what the fuck is going on?

Tamriel jumps over Olivia's unconscious form and hugs Dawn, tears streaming down her face. "I saw you die in front of me. You'd gotten bitten by a taijitu slaver and Lionheart had you euthanized."

"Huh, I remember running from it, getting bitten, and...damn the pain...and then I guess I passed out."

"You had amnesia for a couple hours until Lionheart had you killed."

"So...shall we go pay our dear headmaster a visit?"

Tamriel pulls out of the hug and stares at her in surprise as she swings her legs out of bed and walks over to the doorway. "False alarm everyone! It's going to take more than some Dust to kill me!"

The crowd bursts into cheering and swarms her, ignoring her eyes until Neopolitan points them out, and then everyone jumps back and draws their weapons.  
"What? I didn't do anything!"

"Uhh, your eyes..."

"What about them?"

Neopolitan produces a small mirror and hands it to her.  
"...Oh. That's actually kind of cool. Chill guys, I'm not going to attack anyone unless they attack first."  
Most of the crowd relax, with the exception of a few people who have always been sort of paranoid.

Tamriel emerges from the room, behind her is Ahmed carrying Olivia. "Alright, let's go talk to Lionheart."

"I want to go get my scythe first, he already tried killing me once, who says he won't try to finish the job?"

There's a collective agreement that ripples through the crowd, and they open a corridor for her to walk through, leading towards the dorms.

* * *

When Dawn pushes open the door to her dorm she finds Reaper, her scythe, right where she left it, with her bandolier hanging on the wall next to it. She grabs the black and silver scythe and loops her bandolier over her shoulder as Ahmed lays Olivia on her bed.

"Ahmed, prep me a backpack in case Lionheart tries to kill me again. If he does then I'm not going to stay."

"You got it, heavy or light?"

"Light, I'm going to need to be fast if I want to survive."

"I'm on it, one change of clothes, food, plenty of Dust, and plenty of ammo."

Dawn slaps him on the back as she walks towards the door. "You know how I pack." She heads out and is escorted down the halls by a contingent of her best friends, including some of the teachers.

When they reach the elevator to the headmaster's office she chooses Tamriel, Neopolitan, and two other Faunus friends to accompany her, while the rest of the crowd waits at the bottom.

The elevator doors finally open, and Tamriel leads the way out, followed by Sun and Neopolitan, with Dawn and her ram Faunus friend in the rear.  
"Headmaster Lionheart I _demand_ to know why my partner and friend was euthanized when she was clearly in her own mind!" Tamriel yells as she stalks up to the desk and plants her hands on it in anger.

Lionheart doesn't even turn around to answer. "Because, those who are bitten are no longer fully human or Faunus, and therefore they cannot be trusted. I don't like what I ordered, but Remnant is better off with her dead."

When Dawn hears this she laughs, and her friends make way for her to walk forward. "Then I guess Remnant will have to stay shitty! Because I'm not going anywhere!"

Lionheart spins around in his chair and stares at her with wide eyes. "How is this possible?! I saw them give you the injection! You should be dead!"

"Oh come off it headmaster, we both know it's going to take a little more than some Dust to kill me. Should've cut my throat when you had the chance."

Leaving the conversation at that she turns around and walks towards the elevator, her friends back out behind her, keeping their eyes on Lionheart to ensure he doesn't try anything.

"You are expelled from Haven you beast! Don't let me catch you on school grounds or I'll kill you!" He yells after her, once everyone is in the elevator she chuckles as the doors close. "I'd like to see you try."


	2. Chapter 2

Two hours after her expulsion she relaxes in her dorm, almost taunting Lionheart to come get her, she knew it would be a tough fight, but she was the best in the second year class, and her winning streak had been untouched since halfway through her first year, when she finally unlocked her semblance and could simply ignore any blows with it active.

Her semblance was passed down from her mother, the ability to turn into a light fog at will that she'd mastered to change any part of her body into the fog, and allow a blade to simply pass through.

She's just getting into the shower when her scroll chimes, and she reads the message.  
[Lionheart calling in the Haven guard! GTFO!]

"Shit!"

She runs into the room and gets dressed in her combat gear before grabbing her backpack, scythe, and scroll. When she's certain she has everything she jumps out the window, and sprints into the forest.

* * *

A month later Dawn turns her scroll back on and calls Tamriel, hanging her legs off a cliff while the phone rings.  
{Hello?}

Dawn smiles at the sound of her voice.  
"Hey Tam...I'm just checking in on you guys..."

{Dawn!? Where the hell are you?!}

"Sorry Tamriel, if I set foot in Haven I'd be dead before I could blink. I'm not coming back."

{Please...I just want to see you... I miss you so much...}

"...Alright, but you come to me, and come alone. I'm on Patch, northeast corner. You just get here, and I'll find you."

{Okay! I'll be there in a couple days!}

"Alright, I gotta go. Bye."

She hangs up and turns her scroll back off before putting it in her pocket and staring out over the forest below, she gets so caught up in the view that she doesn't notice someone approach her.

"E-excuse me?"

The voice startles her, and she grabs the cliff before swinging around and hanging off by one hand with her feet pressed against the rock.  
A few yards away stands a girl in a black skirt, a red cloak billowing out behind her.

"What?" Dawn asks, her voice containing more than a little caution and hostility.

"I was wondering if you wanted someone to talk to, you seem sort of lonely."

The girls silver eyes seem to incite an age-old fear inside her for some reason, but she stands her ground.  
"Tell me what you are doing here first."

The girl points down further out on the cliff, where a headstone sits. "Visiting my mom."

Dawn visibly relaxes and pulls herself back up onto the ledge, letting her feet hang once again.  
"Sure. Promise not to kill me?"

"Why would I do that? You haven't attacked me."

Dawn shrugs and shakes her head. "You'd be surprised how many people see my eyes and attack."

The girl walks over and sits down next to her. "Well, you seem pretty nice to me, so even if your eyes are a little scary that doesn't mean I should just attack you."

Dawn chuckles and smiles. "If only everyone had ideology like you. My name is Dawn Frost."

The girl holds out her hand. "Ruby Rose. Nice to meet you Dawn."

Dawn shakes her hand and looks out over the trees again. "Nice to meet you Ruby. You from around here?"

"Yep! Just about a mile that way is my house." Ruby jerks a thumb over her shoulder pointing behind them.

"Oh, cool. I come up here about once a month to make a call. I live down there." Dawn waves her hand at the forest below them, being very vague in case Ruby is just trying to win her over so she's easier to kill.

"Really? I didn't think there were any houses down there."

"There isn't...I don't live in a house..." Dawn grabs her backpack and digs through it before retrieving an apple and taking a huge bite out of it.

"But...winter is coming...we get lots of snow here...oh! I know! You could come stay with us!" Ruby cheers up and looks over at Dawn hopefully.

"Wait, us? How many more people live with you?"

"My dad, my sister Yang, and our corgi Zwei."

"Oh...Ruby I couldn't...your dad would probably try to kill me on sight if he knew what I was."

Just then there's a happy bark behind them, and Dawn wheels around to find a happy little corgi a few feet away.  
"Zwei!? What are you doing here?!" Ruby gets up and walks over to the dog before picking the happy bundle up.

Dawn looks past her and sees a head of blonde hair over the bushes, and stands up on the edge of the cliff in preparation for a fight.

"RUBY! Where are you?" A man calls from the same spot that the hair is, and he quickly pushes through the brush, coming to a stop some ten yards away.  
"There you are, I didn't see you at the..." His voice trails off when he sees Dawn, then he takes on a commanding tone. "Ruby, walk towards me, away from her. _Slowly._ "

"But dad! She's not hostile! She's actually quite nice!" Ruby protests, holding her ground.

Dawn inches towards the edge and grabs her weapon from her side, unfolding her shotgun scythe into its fullest extension. "I think that's my cue to leave, it was nice talking to you. Take care Ruby." She pauses and nods to the muscular blonde guy. "You as well sir."

"Dawn _wait_!"

Dawn ignores her request and backflips off the cliff, using Reaper to slow her descent until it's safe to use her semblance. When she hits the ground the resulting crater is a dozen feet wide and half that in depth. She feels a twinge of pain in her left knee as she stands up and folds Reaper into storage mode. "I'm gonna feel that later." She mumbles as she limps into the trees, and out of sight to those above.

* * *

Four days later Dawn is back up on top of the cliff with her scroll on, waiting for Tamriel to call her.  
She remains alert to her surroundings, expecting Ruby's dad to swing through every so often to try and kill her, and it's no surprise when she hears a twig snap behind her.

"Halt! Don't come any closer. Tell me who you are and what you are doing here."

She waits for an answer, but when another twig snaps a little closer she turns around, and finds Ruby's Dad standing there, a pair of golden gauntlets on his arms.

"Ah, hello. Come to kill an innocent girl?" She asks, crossing her arms.

"My daughter gave me a thorough lashing about chasing you off, and she seems to believe that you won't hurt her. I've come to talk."

Dawn eyes him warily, looking for any sign he might be lying, the clenched fists and set jaw set off warning bells, but she decides against her better judgment.  
"Alright then, weapons on the ground, let's talk." To lead by example she takes Reaper and places it on the ground at her feet.

He seems hesitant, but he agrees and takes off his gauntlets before placing them on the ground.  
"Come, sit." Dawn walks over to the edge of the cliff and hangs her legs off before patting the ground next to her. He slowly walks over and sits down, keeping a reasonable amount of distance between them.

"So, I imagine you've got questions about me."

"Yes I do. First off, how are you not a mindless slave?"

Dawn chuckles and shrugs. "Your guess is as good as mine. I remember my entire life before I got bitten. I've never once wanted to attack anyone. The only time I've fought people is when they attack first."

He looks over at her for a minute, but she's just staring out over the landscape below. "I was a second year at Haven, top of the class. Then I went for a stroll in the woods without my weapon and walked right into a slaver, and we both know how that turned out. I ran away. I haven't talked to my family in weeks."

"Oh...how long has it been since you got bitten?"

"Thirty four days. Give or take a couple."

He sits in silence for several minutes, staring out over the landscape with her, this defied all logic, she should be a servant to the Grimm by now, and yet she's clearly in her own mind. "Where do you live now?" He asks, turning to look at her.

"Anywhere people aren't trying to kill me and where there's food."

His expression turns to one of surprise and confusion. "You mean you've been living in the woods for a month?"

"Yep! The Grimm don't bother me. The only confrontation I've had was an Ursa, and my best guess is I was just in its way, it's really nice knowing I can go for a walk and not get attacked."

He chuckles and nods his head, a small grin spreading across his face. "I can imagine. How about food? Have you been eating much?"

"I've been eating when I can, I've got some granola bars and hunter bars in my bag just in case, but otherwise it's just a rabbit here, some edible clovers there, I may or may not have raided someone's apple tree a week ago." She gives a sheepish look near the end of her sentence and leans back, propping herself up on her elbows.

"Well. I've heard enough." He stands up and walks over to collect his gauntlets.

"So I assume you're going to try to kill me now?" Dawn sighs, collecting her scythe and placing it on her back.

"Nope. I'm taking you to our house to get you a proper meal and a shower."

"Oh...can't say I expected that...most people try to kill me, I guess I've gotten used to it."

"Well, as a father I can't stand watching someone else's kid go hungry."

"Give me a minute to call my friend, I've been waiting for her to call."

"Alright, don't take too long."

Dawn quickly dials Tamriel's number and waits as it rings.  
{Hello?}

"Hey Tam, there's a place I'll meet you at." She pulls the scroll away from her mouth. "Sir, what's your last name?"

"Xiao-long."

She puts the scroll back to her head. "Meet me at the Xiao-Long residence. Just ask around and someone will probably point you in the right direction."

{Alright! I'll be there in an hour or two, the ship is just landing now.}

"Okay. See you soon."

She hangs up and stuffs the scroll in her pocket.

"Lead the way."

* * *

When she walks up onto the porch Dawn feels more at home than she'd felt for the entirety of the past month, and she keeps her manners as she walks in, making sure to remove her boots at the door.

She marvels at the nice interior as he shows her the house, ending the tour in front of the bathroom.  
"There are towels inside, hot and cold water are easy, when you're done and dressed head down to the kitchen, I'll have some food made."

"O-of course Mr. Xiao-Long."

He laughs at the formality.  
"Please, call me Tai or Taiyang.

Dawn nods and walks in, closing the door behind her and setting her backpack on the counter with Reaper, once she's started up the water she pulls a fresh change of clothes out of her bag and undresses, bundling up her dirty clothes and putting her belongings on the counter next to her fresh clothes. By now the shower is steaming, and she cautiously steps in.

The water feels like pure bliss, and she sighs happily as it cascades over her, washing away the first layer of dirt and dried Grimm blood that had accumulated since her last bath in a very cold creek.

She carefully picks all the small twigs, pieces of leaves, and other plant material out of her charcoal black hair, throwing them in the small trash can next to the sink before grabbing a bottle of shampoo and setting to work scrubbing the dried Grimm blood from her scalp.

* * *

An hour later she's finally clean, dry, and dressed in a pair of tan cargo shorts and a black T-shirt.  
With her backpack and weapon in tow she heads down to the kitchen, where Tai is happily cooking something that smells distinctly like beef stew.

"Smells good, better than charcoal rabbit." Dawn places her bag and weapon at her feet when she sits down at the table, keeping both of them within easy reach in case she needs to bolt.

Tai places a bowl of what is indeed beef stew in front of her with a couple napkins and a spoon. Lots of vegetables and plenty of meat sits in a brown broth.

"Thank you." Is all that Dawn mutters before digging into the food, pacing herself as to not get sick.

"You have much more self-control than I expected. I was worried you were going to just slurp the bowl down and ask for seconds." Tai admits as he sits down across from her.

"Well, I got taught a lesson in patience a while back. I rushed into a fight with my team, and I ended up being the only person there. All this food is going to the same place anyways, and I don't have a team of hunters chasing me, so why rush?"

She patiently sips at the broth until the bowl is empty, and when she's done she washes the dishes for him.

"So, have you ever thought of going back to Haven? I'll bet your team misses you." Tai sits on the counter next to the sink and watches her wash the dishes.

"Oh yeah, plenty of times. The only thing stopping me is the fact that one of the teams from Haven was sent to kill me after the headmaster expelled me. They almost succeeded too, but the noise drew in a Deathstalker and I made my escape while they were fighting it."

Tai nods and stares across the kitchen in thought while she finishes the dishes.  
"Ever thought of going to a different academy? I've never seen you fight but I do know that there's only two ways to fight with a scythe. _Really good_ , or _really bad_."

Dawn snorts while drying her hands off, a smirk starting to pull at the corners of her mouth. "Ain't that the truth, it took me nearly all four years of Sanctum academy to get my style down. I'm still learning too. Know anyone who could help?"

Tai nods. "I do. Ruby uses a scythe, and so does her uncle. Both are very good."

"Huh, I may have to spar with her to see if I can pick up a few things. Speaking of Ruby, where is she?"

"Oh she's up at Signal doing some lessons with her sister and her uncle. He and I are teachers there."

"Oh...so I probably would've been screwed if you tried to fight me. Good to know."

Tai laughs and jumps off the counter before slapping her on the back, he gives a yelp of pain when his hand connects with the bone plates protecting her vitals.

"Sorry! I probably should have told you about those..." Dawn hangs her head in embarrassment.

"Eh don't worry about it, I've had worse." He pats her on the shoulder reassuringly before rubbing his hand. "Oh, you want me to wash those dirty clothes of yours?"

"Would you please? It's a pain to wash them in a creek."

She takes the dirty clothes out of her bag and hands them to him.

"Sure thing! I'll be just a bit. Feel free to sit in the living room and watch some TV, or go through the book collection."

He walks out, and Dawn brings her stuff with her, laying it on the couch before walking over to the bookcase.  
"Hmmmm, got some good books in here...oh! I remember this one!"

She grabs a red book and sits down on the couch, pulling her backpack and scythe close to her side as she reads. She's just opening it when the front door is opened and a blonde girl about two years younger than her walks in.

"I'm home! What's for din...ner..." she trails off when she sees Dawn, they stare at each other for a second before the blonde deploys a pair of yellow gauntlets, answering Dawns mental question of if the blonde is going to attack her.

"Wait! I'm not here to fight y-"

She's cut off when the blonde punches her hard in the shoulder, sending her cartwheeling over the recliner before slamming into the stairs.

"Ow! Would you wait for a damn minute and let me t-" she stands up, but another blow to the chest embeds her in the stairs.

"Urgh...if you want me to leave all you had to do was ask..." Dawn groans as she manages to get out of the stairs and into a kneeling position, her left arm hanging broken at the bicep and useless.

The blonde swings at her again, but she's expecting it, and jumps over her, throwing her backpack onto one shoulder before grabbing her scythe and putting it on her back. The blonde punches her once again and sends her flying into the table next to the door, where there's another sickening crack as Dawn's collarbone breaks.  
She quickly picks herself back up and grabs her boots with her bad arm before swinging the door open.

Another blow to the back sends her cartwheeling across the front lawn, her stuff scattering as she bounces multiple times.

When she rolls to a stop she slowly gets up, black waves of aura coming off her.  
"Alright, that's it! No more mister nice guy!" She yells as she sets her broken arm without so much as a wince.

Without a second thought she drops what's left of her shredded backpack and fully deploys her scythe, her arm having since healed thanks to one of the few benefits she gained by being bitten; regeneration. The blonde seems to falter when she sees the long, serrated blade, the edge of the black weapon nicely accented with dried blood, belonging to both Grimm and huntsman alike.  
"Well?! _Come on!_ Today's a good day to die!" Dawn yells at her, getting into a low crouch.

The blonde gets ready to run at her, but stops when there's a voice from the porch. "YANG! _STOP!_ "  
Ruby zips over in a puff of rose petals and stands in front of her, spreading her arms protectively.

"Ruby move! She's a Grimm! She's not human anymore!"

Dawn drops to one knee as the pain in her shoulder flares up, and she has to place her hand on the ground to steady herself.  
She collapses her scythe and grabs her shoulder tightly before setting the broken bone. The skin around the area turns black as it heals. The pain having since faded, she stands up and puts her scythe on her back. "If that's how you want to be, then fine. Get me a new bag, I'll pack up my stuff and leave, and you'll never see me again."

Tai comes out of the house and walks straight past his daughters to Dawn. "You alright? Nothing broken?"

"My arm and my collarbone, but they're set and healed. Thanks for asking. Your daughter hits like a fucking freight train." Dawn huffs, still unused to directing her Grimm abilities.

"She got it from me. But how'd you heal that so fast? Is it your semblance?"

Dawn shakes her head. "When I got infected I traded some of my aura for some Grimm abilities, regeneration being one of them. My semblance is completely different, if I had used my semblance your daughter would have simply passed right through me without hitting me."

"Then why didn't you use it?"

Dawn shrugs before tucking one of her bangs behind her ear. "She looked like the type that would only get even more pissed, and I didn't want to end up having her destroy the house trying to get me."

They start walking towards Yang and Ruby, who now sits on the steps to the porch.  
"Hey Dawn, you going to be alright?"  
Ruby seems genuinely concerned, making Dawn feel all the more welcome.

"I'm going to be sore as hell for a while, but I'll be fine. Can't say the same for my backpack." She looks back at the front lawn, where her stuff is strewn everywhere.

"Yang, you need to _talk_ first, _before_ you start beating the hell out of people." Tai scolds his blonde daughter as Ruby and Dawn pick up ammunition in the yard. "Now go get your old backpack, you owe her a new one.

"Yes dad..." Yang gets up and walks into the house, jumping over the damage in the stairs before heading upstairs and into her room.

"I'm sorry about her, she tends to fight first and ask questions later." Tai apologizes as the three of them walk inside, stepping around the splintered remains of the table.

"Ah don't worry about it, you get used to it after a while." Dawn waves him off and sits down on the couch with a pained groan.

"I-I like your weapon...I use a scythe too." Ruby sits down next to her, pulling out her scythe and fully extending it.

"Not bad...sniper rifle too?"

"Yep!"

"Cool, I have a ten gauge shotgun in mine with a tube magazine. It fits my style more, though I did experiment with a sniper rifle for a while." Dawn unfolds her scythe and compares it to Ruby's, revealing that not only is her scythe larger in general, but it's also more streamlined than Crescent Rose.

Ruby gawks at the weapon until she sees the blood on the blade. "Is...is that blood?"

Dawn quickly collapses Reaper and puts it in her lap, taking on an ashamed expression. "I'm not proud of what I have done...but know that it was them or me...if you don't want me around I don't blame you."

Ruby looks her in the eyes, despite the act being utterly terrifying for both parties. "I wish you would quit that. You're welcome here, as long as you don't hurt my friends or family we're cool."

"Thank you...but I may have to move on in a few days. There are multiple hunter teams after me, and I don't want you people to get hurt."

Yang walks down the stairs with a camouflage backpack and throws it to Dawn. "There's a bag for you. I'm sorry for fighting you."

Dawn stands up and moves towards the door. "Apology accepted, if you help me pick everything up."

Yang shrugs and heads towards the door as well. "Seems fair to me, I still don't fully trust you though."

Dawn laughs and puts Reaper on her back while she walks out, Yang following behind her but keeping her distance. "I didn't expect you to. It's weird I know, and it's an unknown, so that makes it all the more scary."

* * *

It only takes them half an hour to get everything gathered up and packed into the new backpack, and when they finish Dawn smells a familiar scent. She straightens up and looks around to find Tamriel walking down the driveway.

"Tamriel!" She waves, and the Faunus sprints towards her. When Tamriel is just about to slam into her she activates her semblance and dissipates into a mist, causing her friend to run straight through her before she wheels around and glares at the foggy figure.

"Not cool, at all."

Dawn turns her semblance off and laughs before walking over and hugging Tamriel. "Oh come on, that was funny and you know it. Besides, I've gotta tease you a little."

Tamriel leans into the hug, wrapping her arms over Dawn's shoulders. "I missed you so much...the team isn't the same without you."

"I know...but if everything goes correctly, we may be able to be a team again soon."

Tamriel pulls out of the hug and stares at her in surprise. "Really!? How?"

"Well, I've heard that the headmaster at Beacon is a rather understanding individual, so I'm going to go meet him in a few hours."

"...You're crazy."

"You love it."

Tamriel glares at Dawn again, but doesn't say anything.

"See?! I'm right!"

Tamriel punches her in the shoulder, and instantly regrets her decision when her fist connects with a bony plate. "Ow! What the hell is that?!"

"It's an armor plate, like what the Grimm have, they started growing when I started killing Grimm a couple weeks ago."  
She lifts her shirt, showing the white plates jutting out of her skin.

"Woah! That's...kinda cool actually." Tamriel knocks on one before Dawn pulls her shirt back down.

"I thought so too, but they get to be a pain when it's time to wash up, the edges are sorta sharp, so they cut a washcloth if I pull it along them hard enough."

They start walking towards the house, where Tai and his girls are standing on the porch.  
"Alright! Time for introductions! Tam this is Taiyang, his daughter Yang, and Ruby. Everyone this is Tamriel, my team leader...before I got expelled anyways."

Ruby waves excitedly, while Yang gives a measly "sup?" And Tai waves hello

"It's nice to meet you all. Thank you for helping Dawn."

"Tai, if all goes well I should be back in a couple hours, we're heading to Beacon to talk to the headmaster. I'm sorry for the damage."

Tai waves her off. "It's alright, you shouldn't be apologizing for the damage anyway, since it was my daughter who started it."

Yang hangs her head and walks into the house while Dawn digs through her bag. "Where are those damn sunglasses...there they are!"  
She pulls out a pair of polarized sunglasses and puts them on her face, hiding her eyes.

"Your clothes should be done as well, one moment."

He walks into the house, leaving Just Ruby, Tamriel, and Dawn.  
"So Ruby, when I get back you want to spar a little? I'm curious what we could learn from each other."

The girls silver eyes light up. "Yes!"

Dawn giggles a little before Tai comes back out, her clothes folded in his arms.  
"Once again, thank you so much. I'll try my best to be back by the end of the day." Dawn takes the clothes and stuffs them in her bag before pulling out a black cloak and throwing it on.

"Wait...this means...!"

Dawn grins. "Yes, I am the Haven reaper. I figured you'd already guessed."

Dawn checks her scroll and looks to Tamriel. "Next flight to Vale leaves in an hour, we'd best be going."

She flips up her hood and they walk down the driveway, before they walk out of sight Dawn gives a friendly wave towards the house and then disappears around the bend.

* * *

 **I'm really enjoying writing this one! Though it is getting rather difficult to avoid writer's block...**

 **Anyway, I hope y'all enjoyed!**


	3. Chapter 3

The flight to Vale goes without incident, and they quickly depart the airship before anyone recognizes Dawn. It's only a short walk to the Beacon shuttles, where they board with limited questions from the students and enjoy the scenery of the trip.

When they disembark they're met by headmistress Goodwitch, who guides them through the halls in silence until they reach the elevator and ascend.  
"Miss Frost you have been very vague as to why you wish to speak with the headmaster. Might I inquire why?"

"If you could please wait, you will find out soon. I recently experienced some trouble at Haven, and so my team and I are planning on transferring here. That is all I will disclose at this time."

Goodwitch remains quiet for the rest of the ride, and she leads the way out when they reach the top.

"Ah Miss Frost! It's a pleasure to see you! How has Haven been for your second year?" Ozpin enthusiastically greets them from his desk, placing a tablet on the desk before grabbing his mug and taking a swig.

"As much as I would love to say 'great', I wouldn't know. I've been expelled for the past month."

Ozpin almost spits out his coffee in surprise. "But why? You were as stellar a student as it gets!

Dawn looks nervously at Goodwitch. "If you both will swear to hear me out I'll tell you."

Goodwitch nods. "I swear to it."

"And as do I." Ozpin taps his cane on the floor.

"Very well, please refrain from killing me." Dawn reaches up and pulls off the sunglasses, revealing her glowing eyes, both adults visibly stiffen, and Ozpin tightens his grip on his cane.

"I was bitten by a taijitu slaver while on a walk. Tamriel will cut in here because I don't know what happened in the few hours after I first woke up."

Tamriel steps forward and describes the events following Dawn's time as an amnesiac, making sure to emphasize the point that it was the headmaster who ordered Dawn's death, when she's done Ozpin turns to Dawn.

"And how have you been faring since then?"

"Well, I've been eating one to two meals a day if I'm lucky, living in a forest, while constantly dodging four teams of hunters."

Goodwitch goes wide-eyed. "Four?!"

"Yes ma'am."

Goodwitch is speechless, her mouth opens and closes like a fish as she tries to gather the words she's looking for, but Ozpin has an entirely different reaction.  
"Miss Frost, since you and your team have already passed initiation at Haven I am willing to accept your applications, and if you wish I may send word to the headmaster to cease his actions against you."

Dawn shakes her head gently, taking a deep breath as she does so.  
"Please don't. That will only broadcast my location and paint an even bigger target on my back. If they become a problem I will...deal with them."

Ozpin looks incredibly concerned, and Goodwitch stares at Dawn in surprise.  
"And what will you do?"

"I'm...I'm not proud to say that if they threaten my friends or family that I will kill them. I am okay if they hunt me, but when they harm those that I love I will not hesitate to protect them in the best way possible."

Ozpin runs his finger around the lip of his mug while staring thoughtfully at her.  
"...very well, have you harmed any of these hunters in the past?"

Dawn nods. "Yes sir. Things got a little too close for comfort a few times and I stopped pulling my swings."  
She motions to her scythe before resuming her posture.

"I see...do you still have your Haven I.D card?"

Dawn grabs her wallet and pulls out the black identification card before sliding it across the desk. Ozpin in turn takes the card and inserts it into a slot on his tablet, then a bunch of information pops up on the tablet.

Ozpin hums as he looks over the information, occasionally sipping his coffee.  
"Very well. I recommend you contact your family at the CCT and let them know you are well, you shall be enrolled and will begin next fall."

"Erm...actually sir, could you send them a message on my behalf? It's a code we figured out."

Ozpin nods and taps on his scroll several times before pulling the card out and handing it to her with the scroll.  
On screen is a blank email document addressed to her parents, and Dawn types out a simple message before handing it back to Ozpin, who reads it.  
"Middle sister lost a toe and went off to find it, but a monster took it atop a peak and used a stone to grind it?"

Dawn grins and elaborates. "Middle sister, meaning the central continent. Lost a toe, a small piece broke off meaning that's Patch. The monster is pretty obvious, it means something is _very_ wrong. The peak further identifies the continent, standing for mountain Glenn. If you use a stone to grind a piece of meat it's called pulverizing, which in our code means I'm in danger, but I can hold out for a while."

Goodwitch gawks at her. "That's genius!"

"Why thank you, it took us a while to make it."

Ozpin sends the message and puts the tablet down. "I presume you will be heading back to Patch once our meeting here is concluded?"

"Not immediately, I need to buy some more Dust and ammunition before I head back, all the fighting has severely drained my supply."

Ozpin reaches into a drawer and pulls out a bulging white envelope. "Very well, as a token of good faith take this, it should cover most of the expenses. I can't have my students dying on me after all."

Dawn reluctantly takes the money and puts it in her pocket before the two girls say farewell to the headmaster.

On their way down Tamriel pulls out her scroll and taps out a number quickly before holding it up to her ear.

"Hey, get your shit packed. We're transferring to Beacon."

She listens as the other person talks.

"Yeah, immediately. I'll be back in a day or so...bye."

She hangs up before the person can say anything, and abruptly shoves her scroll back in her pocket. "Fucking new girl is starting to get on my nerves…."

"New girl? You guys replaced me already?"

"Replaced you? _No_. More like there was an empty slot and Lionheart found the biggest _bitch_ he could to fill it." Tamriel's voice is venomous as she describes the girl, some cocky transfer from Atlas academy.

"Damn, sounds like a grade A charlie-foxtrot if I ever heard one."

The elevator doors open and they walk out, Dawn puts on her sunglasses to prevent any confrontations.

"You ain't kidding either! She hardly listens to a damn word I say! _And_ she's constantly getting into arguments with Olivia."

Dawn looks over at her and exaggerates surprise. "Wow, Olivia usually keeps to herself, what changed?"

Tamriel shrugs. "You left. She came out of her shell the day after. I sat there with her for _hours_ while she cried. Then the bitch got transferred in and they had an argument in the first _two hours_ of her being there."

"Wow, hopefully she's not coming to Beacon."

Tamriel goes into detail about the argument as they traverse the halls, finishing with impeccable timing as they board the shuttle back to Vale.

Dawn uses a map that she'd downloaded on her scroll to find the Dust shop she'd been recommended by Yang, and when they get there she buys a new backpack and fills it with various Dust canisters.

Funny enough, the shop has a special on shotgun shells, so Dawn buys yet another backpack and loads it with ammunition, spending half of the thousand Lien that Ozpin gave her.

When she leaves the shop she has a backpack on the back and front, despite Tamriel's protests to let her carry one.

* * *

They do a bit of clothes shopping before they head to the airship to Patch, and they find a seat in the corner.

Dawn finally relents and allows Tamriel to carry the backpack with the purified Dust when they disembark, but when three hunters board the airship she flips up her hood and stays quiet, using her scroll to explain to Tamriel that the new arrivals are one of the teams that have been hunting her.

Dawn's first idea is to run, but the door closes, sealing her inside with three experienced huntsmen that sit a row across from her and take occasional glances at her, further broadcasting their intentions.

She leans over to Tamriel and whispers in her ear. "Things are about to get ugly, trust me on this one."

Tamriel nods, and Dawn pulls out Reaper, sharpening each bloody serration with a custom sharpener she'd made. The results are immediate, the determination in the huntsmen's eyes turns to rage and they stand up, drawing their weapons.

Tamriel's hands start to drift towards her blades as they approach, but she waits for Dawn to start things off.

"Well hello, come to let me know when his funeral is? He looked like a pretty swell guy, so I'd gladly attend." Dawn keeps nonchalantly sharpening the gigantic scythe blade as they get closer, their weapons crackling with electricity.

"Listen, I know you want to avenge him, but here is really _not_ the time or the place. One wrong move and this ship goes down, so let's wait until after we land."

The huntsmen hesitate, but put their weapons away.

"Come sit, I want to talk. Since you all _obviously_ have no clue who I am other than a paycheck."

"We have nothing to say to you, _beast_." The apparent leader snarls at her, his hand on his sword.

"Well okay then, but I have one thing to say to you all. I'm sorry for what I did, it will haunt me until the day I die, and I'd like to extend a cash compensation of sorts. I'm not trying to kiss ass, but I am trying to make you see that I'm still human."

She pulls the remainder of the Lien out of her pocket and holds it out to them. "Go do something nice in his honor, I never intended for that to happen, and I don't want to fight you."

The leader glares at her before snatching the Lien out of her hand and stalking back to his seat with his teammates in tow.

Amelia lets out the rest of the breath she was holding and slumps back in her seat.

"So what happened with them?" Tamriel whispers to her as she watches the team of huntsmen sit down.

"They caught me at a bad time, I got a little carried away while fighting them, and I killed one of their teammates…." Dawn hangs her head and momentarily closes her eyes before removing her sunglasses to wipe her eyes. "Do me a favor, if I ever start making growling noises and I can't get away from people, I want you to knock me out and tie me up."

Tamriel stares at her with a look of concern and terror, and Dawn can literally feel her distress. "W-what? Why? Is there something you aren't telling me?"

"Yes, and this is neither the time nor place, I'll tell you someplace private."

Tamriel glares at her, but quickly looks away when Dawn nudges her sunglasses down to stare over them. The remainder of the ride is quiet, and the huntsmen leave Dawn alone when they land.

* * *

They opt to walk instead of taking a cab so they can have some time to talk, mostly engaging in casual conversation until they reach the driveway.

"Wait." Dawn snaps, smelling the breeze. "We're not alone, someone's been trailing us."

Tamriel smells the breeze as well, but doesn't smell anything. "You sure?"

Dawn nods, slipping her backpack off her shoulders. "Part Grimm remember? Negative emotions are like a neon sign to me, and there is some _serious_ hatred behind us, seven o' clock."

There's a rustling in the bushes, and Dawn deploys her scythe with a series of intricate twirls before jabbing the blade into the ground facing the threat. "Show yourself!"

There's another rustling, and suddenly a dozen huntsmen emerge from the trees, almost completely encircling them.

" _Well shit._ " Dawn sighs as her and Tamriel stand back-to-back. "I'll make an opening, you make a break for the house, tell them I need help." She orders, her tone brooking no argument.

"Right. I'll take the bags too." Tamriel grabs the other bag and pulls one of her blades out, ready to fight.

They stand in silence for a minute before Dawn disappears in a puff of mist, confusing the huntsmen, but Tamriel capitalizes on it and sprints down the road, before she reaches the huntsmen they're all knocked off to one side by Dawn, who used her semblance to get behind them.

Tamriel runs as fast as she can, her Faunus heritage making her faster than anyone else on the entire island, but only in short bursts. Thankfully she doesn't have far to run, but she's still winded when she bursts through the door and surprises the entire family.

"Driveway….huntsmen...Dawn…" she huffs out, sweat running down her face as gunshots can be heard. Tai understands the meaning first, and jumps up, grabbing a pair of full-arm gauntlets before running out the door, followed by Yang. Tamriel drops the bags and runs back out, still huffing like an asthmatic steam train.

When Tai reaches where the fight is he finds four huntsmen unconscious, but the rest have completely encircled Dawn, their weapons all arcing with electricity.

Tai uses the distraction and barrels straight through, sliding to a halt next to Dawn. "This fight is over, stow your weapons and go home. This girl is under my family's protection." He yells, causing some of the huntsmen to bristle with anger.

"Go to hell Taiyang! We have orders to kill this beast and that's what we're going to do!" One of them snarls back as he surges forward and brings his war hammer down im a vertical attack. Dawn parries and slams him into the ground with her scythe, knocking yet another huntsman unconscious. With the new reinforcements having arrived to bolster Dawn's defense the remaining huntsmen seem reluctant to attack, and Dawn makes the first mistake; she collapses Reaper into storage mode and puts it on her back.

Suddenly a mace-wielding brute of a man lunges forward and catches her across the chest with his weapon, sending her flying into a tree face-first.

Yang jumps in and slams into the assailant, hitting him with an uppercut that knocks him in the opposite direction from Dawn as she gets up. Noticing the lack of weight on her nose she looks around at her feet, and finds the twisted remains of her sunglasses. "Son of a bitch!" She grumbles, her red eyes seem to glow brighter as she pulls Reaper out again. "Tai, grab the girls and take them home, I don't want them seeing what happens next."

"But-!"

Dawn shoots him a glare while pushing shotgun shells into her weapon. "I'm not asking huntsman, now _move your ass_!"

Tai jumps into action, grabbing Yang around the waist and throwing her over his shoulder as he runs through the opening made in the encirclement and grabbing Tamriel in the same fashion as he sprints up the driveway.

As they run into the house Tamriel can hear the sound of gunfire and screaming coming from the woods before Tai closes and bars the door, forcing the three girls to sit on the couch where he can watch them.

* * *

An hour later there's a quiet knock on the door, and Tai unbars the door. When he opens it Dawn walks in covered in blood, her face hidden in the shadows drawn by her hood, with her red eyes being the only thing visible.

" _Don't_ ask. I'm fine." She snaps as she grabs her backpack and bounds up the stairs, into the bathroom, where she closes the door behind her.

Tamriel stares up at the bathroom door with wide eyes, her expression is one of complete horror. "She….oh goddess…"

Tai heads out the door. "I'm going to go check the area. _Stay here_!" He calls over his shoulder, breaking into a slow jog.

When Tai reaches where the fight was he finds the ground completely covered in blood, but no bodies lie strewn about, no severed limbs, the crimson film covering the ground is the only evidence of what happened here. Or so he thinks, upon closer inspection he finds small pieces of bone and flesh strewn about.

Tai quickly jogs back to the house, where Yang and Tamriel are standing on the porch.

"None of you, including Ruby, are allowed to go there. Understand?"

The two girls nod, and Tai strides through the open door and up the stairs, stopping at the bathroom door and knocking.

There's a shuffling, and the door is opened, revealing a freshly showered and dressed Dawn.

"Yes?"

"We need to talk, because…" he looks down the hall before lowering his voice. "Because I know with that much blood on the ground there's no way any of them survived. So where'd you put the bodies?"

Dawn grabs her backpack, weapon, and the bundle of bloody clothes. "Right side of the road, twenty yards in, they're all buried with their weapons as the grave markers. Those that were unconscious I took to the main road and left them there without their weapons." She brushes past him and heads downstairs, dropping her bag next to the couch before going into the laundry room.

Tamriel tries to grab her wrist, but Dawn just uses her semblance, and Tamriel fails to make contact with her.

"Just….leave me alone for a bit...alright?" Dawn repeatedly foils Tamriel's attempts to halt her, and after a while she disappears altogether once she's done loading her clothes into the washing machine.

"Dawn! Please!" Tamriel calls out, but Dawn has already left, escaped out a slightly open window.

Tamriel sits on a chair at the kitchen table, her head in her hands while she tries to think. 'She's not the same person, she's changed, she wouldn't run from me like that…I've never seen her act so cold towards friends….'

She's startled out of her thoughts when Yang sits down across from her.

"She's acting strange isn't she, I know that look."

Tamriel nods, staring solemnly at the table. "She usually talks to me when something's wrong."

Ruby sits down next to Tamriel and stares her in the eyes. "I think I know where she went."

* * *

 **Leave a review telling me what y'all think! I'm losing steam in my writing, so I may have to put a story or two on hiatus for a while.**


	4. Chapter 4

Dawn sits at the edge of the cliff, her eyes closed as she sobs quietly, her tears soaking her cargo pants. She ignores the approaching footsteps, having since made up her mind as to what she wants. As the footsteps get closer she can smell the stench of alcohol and cheap cologne, and the smell of nervousness that she'd grown accustomed to smelling thanks to her Grimm abilities.

When the footsteps stop directly behind her she takes a deep breath and opens her eyes to stare out over the rolling trees below. "Well, come on. Make it quick. I'm tired of running like an animal."

She waits for the sword blade to cleave through her neck, an axe to embed itself into her skull, _anything_ other than the guilt and self-disgust that she resides in now, but it never comes, instead the person walks around and sits beside her, his gigantic geared sword on his back and a silver flask in one hand. She looks at him through the corner of her eyes, and a small grin graces her lips. "Well if it isn't my role model Qrow Branwen. To what do I have the honor of meeting such an amazing scythe wielder?"

He chuckles and takes a swig from his flask before offering it to her. "I think you know." She graciously accepts the flask and takes a swig of her own before passing it back.

"Yeah…..I know…just go ahead and kill me, I'm an abomination, huntsmen will just keep trying to kill me for as long as I live, so what's the point of trying? I keep losing a grip on who I am every time I fight, and I just bring nothing but fear and sadness everywhere I go." She holds a locket in her hand, staring at the picture enclosed in it. "I'm pretty sure my own siblings would try to kill me if they found out what I am now. I'm almost afraid that they'll find me."

Qrow nods, staring out over the trees. "I can understand why. I'm not going to kill you, you've gotten so far as a scythe wielder and I'd feel bad if I took away your opportunity to be a huntress. Now come on, everyone back at the house is worried about you." He gets up and offers her a hand up.

"I'll be back in a few minutes, I'm going to call my parents."

Qrow shrugs and saunters off, leaving Dawn to route her call through the CCT so she can video call her parents back in Mistral, and after a few minutes she's finally connected.

…

…..

{Hello?}

Dawn keeps her eyes closed, but she knows the voice.

"Hey Dusky, it's Dawn, put mom and dad on, would ya'?"

{Okay! I'll be right back!}

The brunette younger sister runs off screen with a thunder of pounding feet on hardwood floors, and returns a minute later with Dawn's parents in tow.

{Dawn? Are you alright!? I got your message and I was just packing to go to Patch.}

"Yeah mom, I'm…..well I'm not fine, but I'm hanging in there. I…..don't know how to explain this but….Well, promise me you won't freak out and I'll show you why."

{Of course, you always have our support honey.} Her dad responds, and Dawn takes a deep breath before opening her eyes.

Instead of freaking out there's an eerie silence.

"I'll explain everything later, just get to Patch. I'm living in the Xiao-Long residence right now. I've gotta go, I love you and I'll see you soon."

She terminates the call and crams her scroll in her pocket while she stands up, brushing the dirt and grass of her backside with the other hand.

Upon hearing the crackle of dry leaves behind her her smile deflates, the light footfalls don't break any twigs, but the leaves are abundant enough to make the sound consistent with every step.

"Hey Tam. Let me guess, you want to know about why I asked you to knock me out if I can't get away from people."

"Yeah."

Dawn sighs and sits back down, hanging her legs off the edge. "Alright…sit down."

Tamriel quickly flops down next to her, trying to act casual, but Dawn can smell her nervousness and a twinge of fear. The Faunus keeps her hands near her daggers, trying to make it look like she's just propping herself up on her elbows.

"Tamriel, nice try. Sit up straight, I know what you're up to."

Tamriel sighs in frustration, straightening up and putting her hands in her lap.

"That's better. Now, to what I need to tell you…..as you saw when I came back from fighting those huntsmen, I…...lose control while fighting sometimes….that's what happened with that team on the airship. They were kicking my ass and I heard a little voice that said it could help...next thing I know it's like my body wasn't mine anymore...I could still see everything but I couldn't control what I was doing….."

She tapers off, clenching her hands in her lap so hard her knuckles turn white. "Everyone that's fought me is right….I'm a monster, I shouldn't be a thing, this shouldn't be possible."

Tamriel is alarmed at first, but she thinks about it more and calms down.

"Dawn, does this 'voice' only talk to you when you're getting knocked around?"

"No….We talk in my sleep sometimes…but it's usually very brief."

Tamriel stares thoughtfully up at the light fluffy clouds overhead, then she realizes something.

"Dawn, you didn't tell me why you asked me to KO you, quit skirting around the question."

"Sometimes she…..tries to take control, I've only had it happen once, but the result was _not_ good, so I fight her tooth and nail whenever she tries. The growling is a sign she's winning."

Tamriel jumps up and steps back, distancing herself from Dawn. "Then you _lied_ to us! You told everyone you didn't have voices!"

"Of course I lied! If I told the truth I'd be killed on the spot!" Dawn yells back at her, clenching her eyes shut as tears start to stream down her face. "I don't want to be known as another Grimm infectee that lost to the voice in her head and was killed like an animal."

Tamriel places her hands on her daggers, and Dawn visibly stiffens before placing one hand on the ground beside her. "If that's how you want things to be, fine then. Bye."

Dawn vaults off the cliff, deploying Reaper and using it to slow her descent before spiraling down a pine tree and disappearing from sight.

Tamriel just stares in surprise before collapsing to her knees, her face in her hands as she begins to cry. "What have I done!? She thinks I'm out to kill her!"

She hears the footsteps of someone approaching, and ignores them until the person crouches down beside her.

It's Qrow, and he gives her a soft squeeze before speaking. "Come on kid, everyone's getting worried, we'll explain to them together."

Tamriel nods, slowly hauling herself up onto her feet before following Qrow down the dirt path towards the house.

Qrow opens the door and holds it until Tamriel enters, walking over and softly collapsing on the couch.

Ruby comes down the stairs in a blur of red and a trail of rose petals, but halts when she doesn't see Dawn.

"W-where's Dawn?"

Tamriel puts her head in her hands and sighs shakily. "I don't think she's coming back Ruby….I'm almost certain she thinks I'm out to kill her."

"But...why?"

Qrow steps in, closing the door behind her. "I'm calling a family meeting, there's something important that we all need to know."

Ruby nods and disappears in a puff of rose petals leading back up the stairs and into Yang's room. Shortly thereafter the blonde comes out of her room and slides down the railing, followed by Ruby, and then Taiyang.

Tamriel motions for everyone to sit at the couches and leads by example, Qrow sits across from her while the rest of the family sits around the room.

"Alright kid, she's your friend so you get the honors." Qrow nods to her as he pulls a flask from his jacket pocket.

"Alright….When Dawn was first asked if she had any voices in her head she said no. She just told me that was a lie, and when she's getting her ass kicked in a fight there's a voice in her head that essentially takes over and fights for her."

She waits for a reaction from anyone, but they just remain silent.

"She's not going to come back while we're awake. She'll most likely sneak in at night, get her stuff, and leave. However, I have a plan that'll allow us to catch her. Her semblance makes it difficult to restrain her, but if you put even the smallest amount of electricity into the air she can't use it, hence why all the huntsmen that have been after her have used electric Dust. We leave a window open, she sneaks in through it, then we shock her and restrain her."

Qrow and Taiyang look apprehensive about the plan, but agree to go with it.

"How sensitive is her semblance to electricity?" Yang asks, suddenly very serious.

"If her scroll is turned on she can't use it to its fullest extent. When she turns into that cloud of mist that you guys saw, if she's exposed to electricity it's knocked her out cold in the past."

Yang nods thoughtfully while Tamriel roots around in Dawn's bag.

"I know it's in here somewhere….there it is!"

She pulls out a canister of top-quality electric Dust, and injects it into the capsules inside the handles of her knives. Once finished she spins the blades on the chains a few feet out to either side, when she puts aura into the weapons both the blades and the chains crackle with electricity. The entire family stares in awe at her weapons, Ruby being the most interested of all. Noticing their stares Tamriel quickly shoves the blades back in their scabbards and stows the remaining Dust in her backpack, giving a sheepish grin the entire time. "Heheh, sorry 'bout that…"

Suddenly her ears perk up and she sits up, listening. Outside in the distance the sounds of gunfire can be heard.

"That's Dawn! It's gotta be!" She yells as she jumps up, running for the door.

She's out the door before Taiyang can say anything, so instead he just sighs and looks to Qrow. "Go make sure she doesn't get hurt."

Qrow takes a swig from his flask while he heads for the door, and places it back in his shirt pocket as he closes the door behind him.

* * *

 **Meanwhile, in the woods 5 minutes earlier.**

"Ugh….I've just gotta wait until night, then I can get my shit and bug out.." Dawn yawns from her position on a low tree branch. Out of sheer boredom she whittles on a piece of wood with a pocket knife, shaping the carving into the vague shape of an owl before she gets a whiff of people close by. Dropping the carving she pockets the knife and drops down into the thick underbrush. Turning off her aura she lays motionless underneath thick brambles in hope that the huntsmen will pass by and not notice her.

Her hopes of escape via her semblance are quickly dashed when she feels a familiar tingling in her fingers, belonging to her old nemesis; static electricity. Then the footsteps draw closer, closing in from all sides,

' _Oh Dust please don't see me.'_

Dawn tries to get lower to the ground, but she's already as low as she can get, so she closes her eyes and pulls some of her hair across her face to help camouflage her pale complexion.

The encirclement gets tighter and tighter until Dawn hears one of the huntsmen cutting through the brambles she's hiding under. Without any other options she grabs Reaper and unfolds it while jumping up out of the brambles, landing on a nearby tree branch.

"There it is! Get it!" One of them yells, transforming his axe into a rifle.

Using the recoil from her weapon Dawn gets close to that same huntsman. " _It?!_ Excuse me?!" She punches him in the mouth, surely knocking out several teeth if he hadn't had his aura protecting him.

He staggers back, trying to regain his balance, only to be met with the blunt side of Dawn's scythe, which sends him flying up and over the treetops.

"And it's outta the park!" Dawn laughs, jumping up onto a branch in hopes of displacing and escaping. Unfortunately the branch breaks, sending her crashing back down. She lands on her back and quickly jumps onto her feet and rolls to avoid a sword blade that was aimed for her neck.

' _I gotta get the fuck outta here!'_

Dawn jumps back up into the trees and uses the recoil from her weapon to move from tree to tree for fifty yards or so before dropping back to the ground and sprinting towards an area littered with fallen trees.

She almost makes it too.

Twenty yards from the edge of the blowdown a kanabo swings out from behind a tree and catches her across the chest, knocking her back into a tree.

Her aura shatters from the second impact, and she feels one of the bone plates on her back crack, sending a painful jolt through her body, sharper than the jolt from the impact.

While she's standing up a feminine voice rings out inside her head.

' _ **That's quite enough, I'm taking over now before we end up dead.'**_

Dawn tries to protest, but her body starts moving on its own, leaving her to watch as she rushes at the kanabo-wielding huntsman while under control of the other being in her mind. She wishes she could close her eyes and tune out the gruesome sight that she knows is soon to follow, but she is forced to watch as she ducks under the huntsman's swing and cleaves off his left arm at the elbow, the force from the blow shattering his aura, followed by his right arm halfway up the bicep. With a strangely elegant twirl on one foot she cuts his throat open and jumps over him before driving her scythe blade into his back. The tip of the serrated blade juts a foot out of his chest before he gives a wet gurgle and she pulls the blade out, flicking her scythe to partially clean it of his blood as he collapses in a bloody heap.

' _ **There, now you may have your body back. It would be wise to leave this area.'**_

Dawn grips her scythe a little tighter when her body starts responding to her commands, folding it into storage mode and holding it in her right hand while she walks down the gully.

She's almost to a hiding spot when a _very_ familiar chain flies out of the bushes and wraps around her right wrist before pulling her towards the source while another chain wraps around her waist.

Dawn struggles against the chains and wraps them in her hands. She's just about to pull the owner out of the bushes when electricity arcs up the metal links and courses through her, locking up her muscles and dropping her to the ground.

She starts to push herself up when Tamriel steps out of the bushes, her knives clenched tightly in each hand. "Stay down. I'm here to take you back, not kill you."

Dawn ignores her, and plants one foot firmly in the ground before Tamriel shocks her, causing her to give a pained yell and collapse again.

" _Stay. Down._ " Tamriel growls, glaring down at Dawn.

Dawn sighs and drops her scythe, holding her hands up in submission without saying a word. In turn Tamriel unwraps the chain from around Dawn's waist and ties her hands together.

"I'm not going to kill you. I overreacted earlier, I'm sorry." Tamriel helps Dawn onto her feet after grabbing the scythe and stuffing it in her bag.

"Did…..did you see what happened…?" Dawn asks, a tinge of fear in her voice.

"Yes, I did."

Dawn pales, looking like she'd run if not for the chain restraining her hands.

"And although it surprised me, I really don't care. Now let's get outta here before those huntsmen find us."

Dawn relaxes and nods, the color coming back to her face. "Sounds like a plan."

* * *

They backtrack Tamriel's footsteps, but run into a trio of huntsmen on the way back.

"Well hello there little lady. What'ya say you give us that beast you have with you and we'll let you go?" A mountain of a man wielding a claymore steps forward, the back edge flickers with flames while the leading edge arcs with electricity.

"No can do, she's coming with me." Tamriel stares him in the eyes while letting the chain wrapped around her left arm fall to the ground, grasping the knife it's attached to firmly.

"I don't think you understand little girl. We've got a mission that requires for her to come with us." A heavily-armored mace-wielder cuts in, standing by his comrade.

"No, I don't think _you_ understand. I said she's coming with me, pull your dicks out of your ears and listen to what I'm saying."

This thoroughly irritates the man with the claymore, because he steps forward and stares down at Tamriel menacingly. "Either hand her over, or die."

Tamriel stares back up at him before shrugging. "Alright, you win, have fun with her."

Dawn stares at her with a betrayed look, but suddenly feels the chain fall off her wrists, and realizes what Tamriel is doing.

Due to his close proximity the huntsman doesn't notice Dawn grab her scythe from Tamriel's backpack until she unfolds it and spins around, hitting him with the blunt side of the weapon and sending him flying.

Tamriel takes a defensive stance before glancing at Dawn. "If you come with me I'll forgive you for lying."

"Deal. Just stay outta my way."

Dawn runs forward and jumps up, rolling the top of her blade on the ground while she uses her scythe to essentially pole-vault over the two other huntsmen, landing behind them and shooting the leader while he tries to stand up. The impact of the Dust shell freezes him in a block of ice, rendering him out of the battle while Tamriel swings one of the long chains, catching the third huntsman around the ankle and pulling him off his feet. Dawn then gives a primal snarl and swings her scythe at the remaining huntsman, the bloodstained blade cleaves through his aura like it's nonexistent, and cuts him in twain just above the hips. With an intricate twirl she brings the blade down on the neck of the tripped huntsman, decapitating him before Tamriel wraps her chains around her forearms again.

Dawn shakes her head quickly to clear it, and flicks the blood off the blade of her scythe before folding it into storage mode.

"What was that about?! I thought you said that only happened when you were getting your ass kicked!"

Dawn sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Have you looked at my aura level lately?"

Tamriel pulls her scroll out and checks it, sure enough Dawn's aura sits at five percent, not enough to take a hit of any kind.

"Oh…sorry."

"It's fine, just keep in mind my aura is significantly weaker compared to before I was bitten."

"Right. Let's go, it's getting late. And while the Grimm don't bother you, they'll have a field day with me."

Dawn nods and motions for Tamriel to lead the way.

* * *

 **[A/N] Hey y'all, sorry for not uploading in a while, I just haven't had the motivation. I'm putting a few stories on hiatus (thankfully this isn't one of them) and I'll be uploading some new stories that I've written during my absence, so please let me know what you think of the newest uploads by leaving a review or by sending me a PM.**

 **I'm finally getting back in the saddle, so expect more updates soon!**


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